They're the reigning world champions. They're the No. 1 team in the world. They've just dumped out the highly fancied home nation in a Rugby World Cup epic.
No wonder the Springboks are big favorites heading into their semifinal against England in Paris on Saturday.
The English are trying not to think that way, though.
“We’re not talking about a team that’s never lost," England lock Maro Itoje said. "We’re not talking about a team that is without fault. They are a good team. But so are we.”
Itoje is one of 13 players in England's matchday squad who played in the 32-12 loss to South Africa in the World Cup final in Japan in 2019. England was coming off one of the greatest all-round performances in its history — the 19-7 victory over New Zealand in the semifinals — and couldn't sustain that level a week later as it was blown away up front in the first half and picked apart out wide in the second half.
While the English have stood still in the intervening four years — some might say they've regressed — they've still made to it the semifinals again, for the sixth time in 10 editions. They're flying the flag for the northern hemisphere once more, albeit by virtue of a kind draw that has seen them avoid any major rugby nation.
Until now.
The Boks are the same tough, mean, well-run machine as in 2019, when they won the world title for a record-tying third time. The forwards are still as uncompromising as ever — a match for anyone — but they've a more polished operation out wide these days, underlined by the presence of an attacking flyhalf in the form of Manie Libbok.
The threats are everywhere and they have a game plan come rain or shine, and the weather might be wet in Saint-Denis on Saturday night.
England, though, can never be discounted at a Rugby World Cup — even if that's exactly what many were doing ahead of the tournament, which the team entered on a run of just four wins in its previous 13 games.
Steve Borthwick, England's coach of less than a year, always warned the critics to judge his players at the World Cup, not before. Maybe he was right all along because they are this tournament's only unbeaten team. This is his biggest test, however, and he'll need to come up with a plan to rattle the experienced Springboks, who have 15 survivors from that title match in Yokohama four years ago.
“We know how good England are, how they play in World Cups, and the team has changed and we’ve seen how hard they work,” South Africa captain Siya Kolisi said.
"We know exactly what they are going to bring and the motivation they have.”
ENGLAND vs. SOUTH AFRICA (South Africa leads 27-2-16 overall, 4-1 in RWC)
History is on the side of the Boks, whose only loss in five World Cup meetings with England — which includes wins for South Africa in the 2007 and 2019 finals — came in the 2003 quarterfinals. Indeed, that is the only match where England has scored a try against South Africa in the tournament.
Boks coach Jacques Nienaber appears to have settled on his best team — “continuity in team selection builds momentum and confidence within the group,” he said on Thursday — explaining why he has kept faith with the lineup that started the 29-28 win over France in the quarterfinals.
“From a medical point of view, there was no reason to change,” Nienaber said, "and from a performance point of view, there wasn’t any reason to change.”
England has tinkered, though, freshening the pack with two changes as lock George Martin comes in for just his ninth cap and prop Joe Marler is recalled to give more ballast in the scrum.
Marcus Smith was unavailable after failing a head injury assessment in the wake of the 30-24 quarterfinal win over Fiji but was unlikely to keep his place at fullback anyway. Freddie Steward returns at No. 15 as a more reliable presence under the high ball, which could be vital given the Springboks' effective kicking game.
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AP Rugby World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
